US 12,303,638 B2
Large dose disposable inhaler and method of simple filling
João Ventura, Lisbon (PT); Peter Villax, Lisbon (PT); Agostinho Carvalho, Leiria (PT); Daniel Caramelo, Lisbon (PT); and Sónia Josué, Caldas Da Rainha (PT)
Assigned to HOVIONE TECHNOLOGY LTD, County Cork (IE)
Appl. No. 17/311,164
Filed by Hovione Technology Ltd, County Cork (IE)
PCT Filed Nov. 20, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/081993
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 4, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/114783, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 11, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 115189 (PT), filed on Dec. 4, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0023553 A1, Jan. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. A61M 15/00 (2006.01); A61M 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 15/0086 (2013.01) [A61M 15/0021 (2014.02); A61M 15/08 (2013.01); A61M 2202/064 (2013.01); A61M 2209/045 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A dry powder inhaler suitable for pulmonary or nasal delivery, comprising an inhaler body and a cartridge the inhaler comprising:
a. the inhaler body comprising a mouthpiece; an inhalation channel for providing fluid communication between the patient's mouth when engaged with the mouthpiece; a bottom channel inlet; side inlets for allowing direct air admission from atmosphere into the inhalation channel; an inhaler body opening formed in the inhaler body and defined between opposing top and bottom walls and opposing side walls, said inhaler body opening having at least one end open by means of which the cartridge may be mounted into the inhaler body opening; one or more plastic body protrusions for engaging and locking the cartridge once mounted in said inhaler body opening; one or more body rails in the said inhaler body opening shaped for receiving the cartridge and one or more body recesses and detents commonly adapted for movement of the cartridge relative to the body; and
b. the cartridge comprising a plurality of powder compartments of tapered cylindrical or cylindrical shape formed therein for carrying a powder-based medicament; bottom walls that engage with the plastic body protrusions for engaging and locking the cartridge once mounted in said inhaler body opening; top walls that engage with the body rails; one or more cartridge protrusions that engage with the one or more plastic body recesses and detents provided in the body for allowing the movement of the cartridge in relation to the body from a storage position into an inhalation position, when the cartridge is mounted in the inhaler body opening shaped for receiving the cartridge; and a bottom inlet slit and top outlet hole;
c. the plurality of powder compartments are configured to turn and advance in sequence inside the body from the storage position where there is no fluid air communication into the plurality of powder compartments, into the inhalation position, where there is sequential alignment and fluid air communication between the body bottom or the side inlets, each of the plurality of cartridge powder compartment bottom or side inlet slits, the cartridge top outlet and the mouthpiece channel;
wherein the inhaler body and cartridge are assembled prior to powder filling into individual cartridge compartments and the said assembled inhaler comprises a body filling opening for filling the inhalation powder into the cartridge, and
wherein the bottom channel inlet or the side inlets are arranged to enable air admission through one of the plurality of powder compartments and thus allowing dispersion of the inhalation powder; wherein the assembled inhaler comprises a hinged or foldable lid in the inhaler body that allows the powder filling of the inhalation powder through the said body filling opening in the inhaler assembled configuration.